Mmmm, haggis.

You're being sarcastic, right?

Many highly reputable organizations call their executive boards or directors the "Board of Overseers". If it wouldn't trigger your spam filter for having too many URLs, I'd link to the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers, the Harvard Board of Overseers, Penn Dental School's Board of Overseers, and so forth.

Here -- give it a shot on Google...

Dammit, Dan. Now you've gone and made me almost ... feel sorry for Ted.

Zzzzzzz.

"overseers" are sometimes also called "elders" in the church, and in most fundamental churches, the elders are who actually (are supposed to) run things. remember bob moorehead and his "elders". usually the senior pastor is an elder. elders are responsible for church discipline and what not.

ted might want to return to new life, but he in some form submitted to these elders. it may be because he's getting something out of it (retirement, house payments, ???), or because he sincerely wants to be a fundamentalist christian despite the internal struggle he faces with his natural desires. mmmmmmm... desires....

i've decided to title my comment, "ask a former fundie."

So, when are they outing that closeted Republican Senator from South Carolina that keeps speaking on "family values" issues?

Just wondering.

I have to say that we here in Colorado Springs are still plenty bored with Ted. His influene is now that of a mime's over an army of the blind. However, New Life just elected a new Pastor, and we'd certainly love to see the whole organization and the culture that continues to poison the culture in this town go down in flames of another internal scandal. If Ted can help facilitate this in any way, we're thrilled. So thanks, Dan and Sloggers, for keeping the dream alive. You're working harder than the local reporters, ourselves included!

If a "cured" Xtian post-homo needs "overseers" it certainly calls into question said "cure."

Queer Nation should regroup and organize a liberation front, kidnap Haggard and de- (or is it re- ?) program him in a closet with bette davis movies and house music. or maybe the Colt Studio can organize a rescue party?

Did someone say party?

Haggard could be the queer's Patty Hearst/Tanya. Or is it he already IS that for the fundies?

Am I the only one who sees the irony of meth-bottom Ted having an "Overseer". Heh, heh, I bet his "overseer" comes complete with a whip, chaps, and a codpiece.

Cute.

What I don't get is why the New Life Church board of overseers (aka elders aka directors) is still involved with Haggard after firing him. Unless, of course, they got him to agree to certain stipulations for getting his severance pay.

Gee, think they'll ask for their money back?

why submit?

i can think of three reasons:

1) he has to in order to receive serverence pay or some other tangible benefit

2) he sincerely believes in this church, and submitted to it's authority over him

3) he wants a job in the ministry later, and must -- in order to have credibility in christian circles -- submit to the elders. an overseer might mean nothing here, but to christians that goes a long way to establishing credibility. seriously. ask any fundie.

I was about to say "oh, boo hoo!" at that last paragraph. Then I got to the last sentence. Heh.

Fundi-ism is like the mafia; once you're in, YOU'RE IN. The Overseer handle is just a nice way of saying "Hitmen for Jesus".

...tonight, Teddie sleeps with the fishes.

Am I the only one who looks at that photo and imagines Ted saying to the camera, "Pull my finger!"?

Put that finger away, daddy-o, or I cut it off.

The fundie above is right about the 'overseer' thing. 'Submitting' to someone is part of a theology of 'discipleship'. There isn't a separate rationale for it - everyone is supposed to be personally accountible for his actions and thoughts to someone else. I grew up with this stuff. Isn't it charming?

The fundie above is right about the 'overseer' thing. 'Submitting' to someone is part of a theology of 'discipleship'. There isn't a separate rationale for it - everyone is supposed to be personally accountible for his actions and thoughts to someone else. I grew up with this stuff. Isn't it charming?

As my dear, departed Aunt Zoo Zoo would say, "You are in pig heaven, Dan!"

I must say it's all brought a nice smile to my face today. Larry Craig, this Haggard madness. When I read about those idiot Seahawks making Bush an honorary rich twat or whatever they did, I actually wondered if it would be possible to press charges against them, for treason or something.

Blame it on the herb.

Dan's obsession with the ignorant Christian goi is Tikkim Olam for our community.

Judaism is a non-hierarchical religion and there is no body of men that "oversees" others. The toxic belief system of the Christians creates this perverted organizational structure.

Judaism is superior in all ways to every other religion because tzedek is realized with every Jewish boy born on this planet.

"tzedek" is that like "Santorum"?

Actually Ignorant Goi, I think Tikkim Olam is like Santorum.

9 News in Denver has expanded a bit on the story. Nothing really too new except this part:

"In the e-mail sent to KRDO-TV, Haggard said that he and his family were moving into an apartment in the Dream Center in Phoenix in October......The Dream Center is run by Pastor Tommy Barnett, another one of the overseers of the New Life Church. He was appointed to oversee Haggard's "spiritual restoration." Barnett heads up the 15,000 member mega-church Phoenix First Assembly of God."

Very interesting. The Dream Center, where Haggard is now not going to live or work on his lofty goals, has as its head pastor one of his overseers who happens to be an overseer of the church Haggard was fired from. I would love to be a fly on the wall for that conversation.

Just for the record, Dave I appreciate your work, but I am the one urging 9News to do more. They are the station who I went to when I broke the story. If any station will seek additional details it will be them.

That's good Mike... I'm glad to see that a variety of media outlets are continuing to press it. They need to get to make sure that the whole story comes out.

I hope everyone knows this, but Issur@19 is a total wingnut. I'm also a jew, and beleive that judaism is also a hierarchical religion and no better than any other. we have our crazy fundamentalists oppressing other just like other religions. Tikkun Olam can be translated as "heal the world" I was taught as a kid that that meant doing good deeds and, you know, "making the world a better place." Dave Coffman's investigative journalism could fall under that heading.
Tsedek means justice. I have no clue how boy jewish babies being born makes any more justice in the world. misogynous pig.
And PS. calling someone a goy is rude.

Interestingly, the word "bishop" descends directly from the Greek episkopos, which means "overseer".

And as an atheist raised Catholic, I don't particularly object to being called a goy. I mean, I am one, so whatever, you know?